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Spice sector stakeholders convened to boost market linkage from Meghalaya
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Thursday, 10 June, 2021, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Mrinalini Prasad & Mansi Naithani
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IDH - the sustainable trade initiative, along with Government of Meghalaya, hosted a Market Linkage Platform meeting for spices produced in Meghalaya earlier in May.
The meeting, facilitated under State Government Meghalaya on Meghalaya Livelihood and Access to Market Project (MeghaLAMP), brought together private sector players, farmer cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisation to discuss ginger, turmeric, and black pepper value chains in the State.
The platform meeting received an overwhelming response from industry stakeholders with over 100 participants, representing leading spice sector private players from ground spices and extraction businesses, ingredient-based businesses, and exporters supplying to the Netherlands, USA, and EU markets.
Discussions during the meeting covered issues in the sustainable spices sourcing from Meghalaya, experiences of private sector players, key opportunities, and strategic approach to address the existing gaps.
It was noted that there is a lack of consistency in quality and processed products, and there is also a post-harvest deterioration of the produce due to improper storage and packaging. It was agreed that a single platform or service provider to carry out centralized aggregation, grading, primary processing, packaging, and handle off-take facility to formal sector players, is needed.
Further, it was also agreed that a basic quality testing lab for chemical tests of Spices, access to quality inputs and advisory and technical support to farmers, along with traceability and verification are required to strengthen the spice supply chain in Meghalaya.
Speaking post the event Saurabh Sinha, senior manager, IDH, said, “IDH has partnered with IFAD and MBMA on the Megha LAMP project with a view to establish long-term and sustainable market linkages with the private sector spice companies. We aim to convene the public and private sector organisations through such platform meetings to develop effective partnerships. This would enable sustainable market linkages for the participating farmers and benefit them."
Private sector players from the spices sector appreciated this initiative. Sharing his thoughts, Ram Kumar Wariyar, G.M. operations – Synthite, said, “We have been sourcing from Meghalaya for the past seven years and it has provided good volumes and quality in spices. Through the Market Linkage Platform, we are keen on working with farmer cooperatives and FPOs for turmeric, ginger, and black pepper.”
Also, commenting on the initiative, Mathew Jacob, head – Agribusiness at Mane Kancor, said, “Being in an extraction business, we have a high demand for volumes of spices procured to extract curcumin, piperine, and gingerol. Going forward, we are keen to explore local as well as commercial varieties being grown in Meghalaya.”
Next steps
Several private-sector spices players and exporters have indicated an interest to procure from Meghalaya. As an immediate next step, IDH and Government of Meghalaya plan will have targeted discussion with them.
Further, the Market Linkage Platform is also working on a plan to create access to input material, technical advisory support, quality testing, and upgrading basic quality processing and storage infrastructure within Meghalaya to facilitate formal sector spice market linkages.
(Prasad is communications manager at IDH and Naithani is programme officer for Food Crops and Ingredients at IDH)
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